20 Best Dump-And-Go Recipes To Save You Time & Stress
From selecting ingredients, to prepping and marinating, to all the sounds and smells while actively cooking (and of course getting to indulge in the final product), to me, there is nothing more enjoyable than really taking the time to master a long and involved recipe... sometimes. Other days, when I have no time or energy, cooking an elaborate meal just isn’t in the cards. That's where these easy, dump-and-go recipes come in. These 20 recipes are perfect for busy days and lazy days alike. All of these recipes are designed to give you the greatest product for the least amount of work—whether that be through limiting dishes in one-pan meals, allowing your slow-cooker to do the job for you, or tossing everything into a casserole pan—you’re sure to find a little R&R in these dump-and-go recipes.
While the cooking process itself takes time and effort, often what gives me the most pause is thinking about the dishes afterwards. With that in mind, I’ve gathered some of our favorite one-pan and sheet-pan dishes like our cheesy broccoli cheddar chickpea skillet, sheet-pan quesadillas, sheet-pan Italian subs, and more to keep your hands-free and cravings satisfied.
Of course, what could be more hands-off than a slow cooker? A lazy day’s best friend, the slow-cooker allows you to simply add in your ingredients and step away. Our slow-cooker Korean beef, slow-cooker quinoa chili, and brown sugar BBQ chicken are sure to become weeknight dinner staples.
Dinner isn’t the only meal that can be hacked for simplicity. We’ve got plenty of desserts, like our banana pudding lasagna, snickerdoodle cobbler, and apple dump cake. Breakfast can also be a hands-off moment thanks to our set-it-and-forget-it overnight breakfast porridge. No matter what kind of a day you're having, make your life a little bit easier by subscribing to the dump-and-go philosophy.
Slow-Cooker Korean Beef
Toss a pot roast in the slow-cooker with a host of flavorful ingredients and soy sauce, and you will have a killer Korean beef ready for weeknight dinner. This versatile slow-cooked meal is propped up by a mixture of ginger, sesame oil, and gochujang.
Get the Slow-Cooker Korean Beef recipe.
Chicken Pot Pie Casserole
If chicken pot pie excites you, but pie crust intimidates you, you’ve arrived at the perfect recipe. Classic chicken pot pie filling is baked into a stress-free casserole and, best of all, topped with biscuits for that tantalizing golden brown finish.
Get the Chicken Pot Pie Casserole recipe.
Snickerdoodle Cobbler
Unlike a traditional cobbler, instead of a layer of fruit, here you’ll find a buttery sauce that makes itself while the cobbler is baking. The topping is similar to warm, fluffy snickerdoodles, making it the best parts of a cookie and a cobbler combined.
Get the Snickerdoodle Cobbler recipe.
Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili
Chili is a hearty, flavorful, and easy-to-make meal. This version will fit any vegan and gluten-free lifestyle while having meat eaters coming back for seconds. A mix of vegetables come together with quinoa and beans, then marry with an array of spices to create a delicious and satisfying chili.
Get the Slow-Cooker Quinoa Chili recipe.
Banana Pudding Lasagna
Bananas? We're all about ‘em. Pudding? Love it. Lasagna… wait, what? We’ve layered Nilla wafers, a cheesecake filling, and bananas into the perfect no-bake dessert ready quicker and easier than a traditional banana pudding.
Get the Banana Pudding Lasagna recipe.
Baked Feta Chickpeas
Let me introduce you to your next obsession: baked feta chickpeas. Tossed in a fresh garlic-burst cherry tomato sauce and served with slabs of bubbling browned feta, these chickpeas are your weeknight ticket to protein-packed dinnertime bliss.
Get the Baked Feta Chickpeas recipe.
French Onion Pot Roast
Cold-weather comfort food is all I want on a lazy, long weekend, and this French onion pot roast is the perfect cross between slow-roasted chuck and classic cheesy French onion soup.
Get the French Onion Pot Roast recipe.
Lentil Soup
Lentil soup is the weeknight dinner that always satisfies—it’s nutrient-dense, flavorful, and perfectly filling. Our recipe ensures that this vegetable soup gets the attention it deserves. Best part? You might already have all the ingredients in your cabinet already (and if not, they're super cheap to buy).
Get the Lentil Soup recipe.
No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta
Pasta dinners have a reputation for being quick, but let's be honest: Bringing a pot of water to a boil takes forever. Okay, maybe not actually forever, but it can feel that way. Enter this clever no-boil baked chicken pasta, which allows the oven to do the work. Unlike most baked pasta dishes, you'll skip the pot of water and instead just add more water to the baking dish.
Get the No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta recipe.
Oven-Baked Salmon
This sheet pan salmon is a weeknight dinner that I return to again and again. With simple prep and minimal clean up, this under 30-minute dinner is the easiest way to make a flaky, flavorful salmon worthy of any occasion.
Get the Oven-Baked Salmon recipe.
Sheet-Pan Roasted Red Onion Chicken
In this recipe, paprika-dusted chicken is roasted on a bed of herby, sliced red onions and whole garlic cloves until the onions are jammy sweet with a little char and the chicken is cooked through and juicy, and served with an umami-rich sauce.
Get the Sheet-Pan Roasted Red Onion Chicken recipe.
Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken
Craving BBQ pulled chicken? Good news—this slow-cooker recipe makes it easier than ever to create delicious, tender, and extra-flavorful pulled chicken right at home with minimal effort.
Get the Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken recipe.
Peach Dump Cake
Requiring only 3 ingredients, this peach dump cake is low on effort, high on flavor. There is no mixing, cooking, or any major prep, the canned peaches with syrup act as the fruit mixture, and instead of batter you only have to use boxed cake mix and that sliced butter.
Get the Peach Dump Cake recipe.
Sheet-Pan Italian Subs
These sheet-pan Italian subs have everything you love about the classic sandwich with minimal effort. Simply assemble the sandwiches, with your favorite fillings, on a sheet-pan, pop them in the oven, and watch them transform into cheesy, golden brown perfection.
Get the Sheet-Pan Italian Subs recipe.
Slow-Cooker Chocolate Chip Cookie
If you usually rely on your slow-cooker for savory recipes, then let us introduce a game changer: slow-cooker desserts. This HUGE chocolate chip cookie is not only perfect for serving a crowd, but nails our ideal chocolate chip cookie texture: crisp outsides, and a melty, gooey middle.
Get the Slow-Cooker Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.
Apple Dump Cake
If you’re searching for an easy dessert, it doesn’t get much easier than a dump cake. With a homemade spiced apple filling and the simplest buttery topping, this dessert hack is what we turn to when we just don’t have the patience for an apple pie or apple crisp.
Get the Apple Dump Cake recipe.
Overnight Breakfast Porridge
When you've got a long, chilly day ahead of you, a bowl of warm and creamy oatmeal is just the thing to keep you fueled and satisfied. To get cozy in the colder weather, I took the idea of overnight oats and transformed them into a comforting breakfast in the slow cooker.
Get the Overnight Breakfast Porridge recipe.
Sheet-Pan Burrata Caprese Gnocchi
This is one of our favorite ways to prepare gnocchi. Roasting gives the pasta a slightly browned exterior while still maintaining a pillowy, chewy interior. To accompany the gnocchi, we are utilizing the flavors of a Caprese salad without relying on the seasonality of tomatoes: Enter beautiful and perfectly sweet bell peppers.
Get the Sheet-Pan Burrata Caprese Gnocchi recipe.
Chicken Shawarma Sheet-Pan Dinner
In this chicken shawarma sheet-pan dinner, strips of chicken thigh are marinated in Greek yogurt, cumin, coriander, and paprika, roasted on a sheet-pan with red onion, then topped with a bright cucumber-tomato salad and plenty of herby tahini yogurt dressing.
Get the Chicken Shawarma Sheet-Pan Dinner recipe.
Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Chickpea Skillet
This broccoli cheddar chickpea skillet is a dream dinner. Steamed broccoli and chickpeas are tossed together in a light cheesy sauce for a protein-filled one-pan meal that’s primed to become a new family favorite.
Get the Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Chickpea Skillet recipe.
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